Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Artistry

CARTER

Days passed in a pleasant blur as Carter adjusted to the day shift at Subway, Allison adjusted to her work at Two Times Around, and they spent each night fucking each other’s brains out until Carter finally slipped off to sleep and Allison... meditated.

He still wasn’t sure what she did while he was passed out after she wore him out. She didn’t exactly sleep—he was pretty sure of that—but he had woken up a few times to find her snuggled up against him and obviously non-responsive. He’d been worried the first time, until her steady breathing and furnace-like warmth assured him she was fine.

She’d just... been somewhere else for a little while.

Each night, somewhere in between eating dinner and fucking, and watching a TV show and then fucking, and getting ready for bed and then fucking, they continued to toss plans for how to free Larika from the Tharons back and forth. Eventually, they both agreed on one part of their plan, even if they didn’t know the rest.

They weren’t going to be able to rescue Larika on foot, or even with Carter’s car. Not if they wanted to escape their Tharon pursuers. If they truly wanted to rescue Larika and get away clean, they were going to need to escape using Allison’s spaceship, which meant that Carter would need to see that spaceship. Soon.

Eventually, the day came when they could line up their schedules and both of them had a day off at the same time. Allison had also gotten her first payment by then—all cash—from Miss Ellen, and while it seemed like less than Carter made in a week at Subway, it was actually more after they both estimated the taxes Allison hadn’t paid. It was all cash.

Allison had celebrated her first paycheck by buying Carter a nice dinner at a nice restaurant, and then giving him a nice blowjob in his car. Now, this morning, they were heading out at the same time they’d go to work to check out a fucking spaceship.

He hadn’t been more excited for a road trip in all his life. He’d chosen a dark hoodie and jeans to guard against the cold, and picked out some boots suitable for hiking in the woods. He’d also packed snacks in case they needed them, or rather... if he needed them.

Once they were back on the highway, they headed to the woods where he’d dropped her off the night they tricked Agent Holloway into leading them back to the Tharon home base. Carter glanced briefly at Allison and found her looking to the sky. She’d turned her hair back to red this morning, but she was otherwise visually the same woman he so adored.

She also wore more of Izzy’s borrowed clothes, which she wore very well. Her denim jeans would keep undergrowth from scratching her but also hugged her lower half, and she wore a white-knit blouse that hugged her breasts and left her midriff bare. It was a tad impractical for hiking through the woods, but Carter knew she’d chosen this top for him.

 She still looked gorgeous no matter what configuration she chose for herself, and from the brief moments she allowed their minds to overlap before, during, and after sex—an amazing element of intimacy he was still working to wrap his head around—he found himself wondering if he was being as fair to her as he wanted to be.

He’d learned so much about her as they shared their memories a bit at a time, and he already felt he knew her more deeply than he would have after a dozen dates. She was a shapeshifter, yes, but also an artist. While she loved making the tiny adjustments she did to her human form, he also knew how much she loved making new bodies. Playing on her canvas.

Now that he had given her enough energy for dozens of reconfigurations, with no sign of slowing down, he finally decided he’d just ask if she wanted to change herself... more. Not for himself, though he’d be lying if he said he wouldn’t enjoy fucking a different gorgeous woman every night. But to let the artist in her create art.

“So, hey. Since we’ve got a trip ahead, I wanted to talk to you about something.” He glanced at her out of the corner of his gaze, keeping one eye on the road.

Her gaze dropped from the sky. “What’s on your mind?”

He smiled. From her, the question was amusing because she could know what was on his mind with the briefest glance inside. He’d made clear she was welcome to look into his mind anytime she liked, and she’d made clear she’d only do it sparingly. He also understood why.

She wanted to get to know him as a human would. She wanted their relationship to be human, or human with a few alien tricks. That meant she still wanted to get to know him through conversation and shared experiences and making love, not simply by reading his mind.

“I’ve been thinking back to the day we went to the mall.”

“That was an exceedingly pleasant day,” Allison agreed. “I enjoyed dark chocolate, and then you made me orgasm three times.”

“Yeah, but I was thinking back to before that. When we were in the bedroom. You asked me if I was happy with your configuration. I remember you were a bit upset when I told you I liked how you looked just fine.”

“I was simply surprised, not upset.” Still, Allison’s tone was a bit more excited than usual. “Would you like me to change something for you?”

She couldn’t disguise the eagerness in her voice. He recognized it because of how well he already knew her, and he knew he wouldn’t offend her by asking her to change her appearance in any way. Every request was a chance for her to show off her artistic ability.

“I’m still more than happy with your current configuration.” He was working on using the same terms she did, to make communication easier. “But I also know you love to change it up, and I haven’t been as open to that as I should be. As your partner, I should be.”

“For you, this is my identity,” Allison reminded him patiently. “So long as it continues to please you, I am glad to remain configured exactly how you like.”

“Right, but I don’t think our relationship should be all about keeping me happy.” Carter checked the exit they passed to make sure they had time before the exit to the woods came up. “If we’re going to make this partnership work long term, I want to make sure you feel like you’re getting everything you want out of it too.”

“I am getting plenty from our relationship,” Allison said coyly. “Including the fact that you are already considering so many ways to make it long term.”

Carter resisted the urge to glance at her again. “Still, I know... or, I’m guessing... that you miss changing yourself around. Creating art. That’s how you think about your shapeshifting, isn’t it? Your body is like a piece of art, one you made yourself.”

“It is. But I also enjoy pleasing you, so I do not mind remaining in the configuration you most enjoy. Pleasing you in any way makes me very happy.”

“Sure.” There really was no way to say this other than to just say it, was there? “But... look. I know I asked you to keep looking like Allison... my Allison... but if you ever want to make a different body, to configure yourself as someone else, I want you to do that.”

“So you would like to fuck me in multiple configurations?” Again, she couldn’t quite hide the excitement in her voice. “Because I would like that, but only if you would.”

Unwelcome frustration rose. “And again, Allie, that’s the thing I’m trying to say here. It’s not just up to me, nor should it be. Even I didn’t like you reconfiguring yourself... which, if I’m being honest, would be all sorts of hot... it wouldn’t matter if I liked it or not. If you really want to make art, you should make it because you want to do it. It’s your body, not mine.”

“I see.” Allison now sounded both amused and hopeful. “Carter, you way of thinking continues to astound me.”

“How so?”

“The thought you put into how you can make my time here as wonderful as possible. Your consideration of all my possible needs, even needs about which I have voiced no complaint. Your thoughtful nature is a large part of why I find you so irresistible.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be.” He really didn’t like how pleased she sounded about this. “I don’t know anything about the aliens you dated before you came to Earth. I do feel the last human guy you dated didn’t treat you as well as he should have, and while I want to show you how I think you should be treated, I don’t think you should be grateful to me about that.”

“I should not?” She actually sounded a bit confused.

“Honestly, I think it should be the bare fucking minimum you should expect.” Carter realized what he needed to say almost as he said it, and it felt very good. “You spend so much time thinking about me, about your sister, about everyone, and sometimes... well, I worry you don’t think about yourself. What you need. What you deserve.”

“I see,” she said softly. “I did not realize this bothered you.”

“Neither did I.” With that said, Carter chuckled softly as his frustration eased. “But I guess it does.”

“So what would you like...” She paused. “No. That is the wrong question. What do you think we should change to ensure our relationship remains as strong as possible?”

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Carter agreed with a grin. “This is how humans usually do it, especially the ones that stick together for years or decades. They talk things out, there’s give and take, and they compromise so everyone’s getting something they want. And really, I’m not bothered by anything you’re doing. You’re so good to me it pretty much blows my mind.”

“Perhaps that is the bare fucking minimum you should expect.”

Carter laughed as she cleverly threw her words back at him. “You know what? That’s totally fair. Still, I think we should always try to be honest with each other about things, so let’s talk about your shapeshifting. You like doing it? You’d like to keep doing it?”

“I would,” Allison confirmed. “Everything I have seen in the past week has me excited.”

“How so?”

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“Dozens of women have come into Two Times Around while I worked there, and I have also seen many more when I take my lunch in the food court. Even without the ability to shift their bodies in the same way I do, there is so much artistry to the forms they make for themselves. I admit I have found myself longing to craft a new form with some of the interesting and attractive features I’ve observed since I arrived.”

“Like what?”

“Like Izzy,” Allison gushed eagerly. “She is beautiful in many ways. In getting to know her, I have found myself curious about what I would look like if I were to blend some of her elements into a new body.”

“Oh,” Carter said. “So you’d, like... make a tribute to her?”

“I would not clone her,” Allison assured him. “Though I could, if you wished it. Do you think you would enjoy me in her form?”

“No,” Carter said firmly. “And it’s not just because of what I wish.” He considered how best to put this. “I don’t think that’d be fair to her.”

“Interesting,” Allison said. “Do you think I wouldn’t do her form justice?”

She sounded both a tiny bit hurt and a bit annoyed, and it was almost a relief to find out he wasn’t making her completely happy all the time. That wasn’t possible for anyone, and not even healthy. Even so, this was one topic he’d thought about enough to easily explain.

“I think you shaping yourself like Izzy would make her as beautiful as every other form you’ve created. But if you made yourself look like her, and then we fucked on my couch while you looked like that, we’d be using Izzy’s form without her consent.”

“Oh,” Allison said softly.

Her silence surprised him more than a little. He glanced her way and was surprised to find her staring forward with a distant, concerned look. Had this truly never occurred to her before? That taking a real person’s form and fucking her boyfriend in it might be a bit sketchy?

Why would it occur to her? For her people, forms were simply clothing. No human would have a problem if Allison wore the same pajamas Izzy did to bed. Given her people didn’t have forms, Allison likely thought about human bodies just like... cute pajamas.

“You’re right,” Allison continued softly. “I feel shamed.”

“Hey, don’t feel that way.” Carter risked taking one hand off the wheel to grip her hand. “I know you’d never hurt Izzy like that. You’d never do that to anyone.”

“But I did not give this situation the consideration I should have.” Allison now sounded audibly frustrated. “Izzy is not artwork. She is a person. Your forms are yours alone, and using her form without her consent in that way would be wrong.”

“You’ve been on this planet a month and a half, and you’ve been running from Tharons for most of that time,” Carter reminded her. “You’re still learning about our culture. It’s inevitable you’ll miss a few things, and there’s no reason to beat yourself up over it.”

“To... beat myself up?”

“It means to blame yourself for missing something that seems obvious, but only in hindsight.” Carter squeezed her hand. “So tell me. Had you ever considered what taking on Izzy’s form and fucking me in it might mean, for her, before now?”

“I had not.” It was evident from her tone how upset Allison remained about that.

“But now you know. Would you still do it?”

“I would not,” Allison said firmly.

“Then see? There’s no reason to be upset with yourself.” Carter rested his hand on her knee and gave that a squeeze, too. “It’s like being mad at me for crashing your ship.”

She blinked at him. “But... you have not crashed my ship?”

“But I would if I tried to pilot it today. Let’s say the Tharons came after us, and they mind blasted you, and I had to fly your ship out of their clutches to keep us both safe. And then, because you hadn’t had the time to teach me to fly it, I slammed it into a mountain.”

“I am still very confused, Carter.”

“Would you be mad at me?”

“That you... crashed my ship?”

“In that situation. Where I ended up having to do my best to do something and missed an important detail I never could have known, because you didn’t have time to teach me. I might have crashed your ship into a mountain, but I was still doing my best.”

After a moment, she squeezed his hand back. “The hypothetical situations you invent when attempting to talk me around to certain perspectives are certainly interesting.”

“You do see what I’m saying though, right? About why you shouldn’t be shamed?”

“Perhaps a little.” She paused. “I still feel guilty for not considering how Izzy might feel about me taking her form and using it in the way we enjoy.”

“But?”

“I am not sure. Why do you think this should not bother me, Carter? I wish to know.”

“Because all we can do at any given moment is do the best we can with what we know, and I know you never meant Izzy any harm. You’re an artist, and no one pointed out to you how we humans might feel possessive about our bodies. Now that you do know, you’d never do it.”

“I see,” Allison said. “In that, at least, you are correct.”

“Sorry.” Carter sighed. “I actually started this whole conversation to try and explain why I’m all right with you making new forms. Showing off your art. I was worried I might be stifling your creativity and wanted to stop. I didn’t mean for it tend up bumming you out.”

“You have not,” Allison assured him. “I have also learned valuable things today. For teaching me, and for all your constant concern for me, I remain grateful.”

Before he could say anything, she squeezed his arm.

“And I also understand this is what I should expect from my partner, just as you should expect the same from me. That is what partners do. We guide and take care of each other.”

“Exactly right.” Carter glanced up again, then winced. “Oh shit!”

“What shit?” Allison sounded alarmed.

“I missed the exit.” Carter wanted to kick himself. “Goddammit, we just passed it.”

Allison actually laughed. “Are you going to blame yourself now?”

Despite the fact that he realized the next place he could turn around wasn’t for three more miles, he laughed too. “You know what? I might. But only a little, and not for too long.”

“That is wise,” Allison agreed. “That is a good way to deal with such mistakes. I will keep your method in mind for the future.”

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